Celtic winter solstice. Wheel of the year - holidays and pagan rituals of the Celtic traditions and Wicca followers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

wheel of the year- the annual cycle of holidays that exists among the followers of Wicca and that part of European neo-pagans, for whom the observance of all festivals is characteristic. The cycle is a compilation of folk Catholic and pre-Christian holidays of the Celtic and Germanic peoples of Europe, known from medieval written sources and ethnographic records of modern times.

Consists of eight holidays occurring at more or less equal intervals. This cycle is based on changes in the path of the Sun across the celestial sphere observed from the Earth during the year, in accordance with the ideas of the mythological school that reigned in the folklore of the 19th century.

Among Wiccans, cycle holidays are also called sabbats: Wicca founder Gerald Gardner claimed that the term was passed down from the Middle Ages, when the terminology of the Jewish Sabbath was carried over to other "heretical" celebrations.

Origin

The eight-beam "Wheel of the Year" is a modern invention. Many historical pagan and polytheistic traditions celebrated the various equinoxes, solstices, and days in between as seasonal or agrarian holidays. But not a single tradition celebrated all eight holidays that are available in the modern syncretic "wheel", popular in neo-paganism.

By the late 1950s, two British neo-pagan societies—the Wiccan coven of Bricketwood and the neo-Druidic Order of Bards, Ovats, and Druids—adopted an octal ritual calendar in order to hold more frequent celebrations and more precisely link celebrations between the two societies.

Due to the early influence of Wicca on neopaganism and the syncretic mix of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic motifs, the most commonly used English names for the Wheel of the Year holidays tend to be Celtic and Germanic, even when the celebrations were not based on those cultures.

Holidays wheel of the year

1. Samhain (Samain) - night from October 31 to November 1
2. Yule (Yule) - winter solstice
3. Imbolc (Imbolc) - February 1-2
4. Ostara (Ostara) - spring equinox
5. Bealtaine (Bealtein) - night from April 30 to May 1
6. Litha (Lita) - summer solstice
7. Lughnasadh (Lugnasad) - August 1-2
8. Mabon (Mabon) - autumnal equinox

There is no consensus on which holiday to consider the first of the year - in the Wiccan tradition it is Samhain (Halloween), in the Scandinavian tradition - Yule.

The names and dates of a number of holidays have correspondences in modern traditions: English Easter "Easter" - Ostara, Candlemas (eng. Candlemass) coincides in date with Imbolk, Halloween - with Samhain, etc. Among the Scandinavian peoples Yule (fin. Joulu) is used to name Christmas.

Traditionally, these holidays are associated with the Celtic tradition (for example, Samhain is often called the Celtic New Year), however, these holidays exist among many non-Celtic peoples of Europe, including non-Indo-Europeans (for example, the Finns have holidays with similar rituals on these days).

Finnish Wheel of the Year

1. Joulu (Talvipäivänseisaus, Talvijuhla) - Christmas, ("winter solstice", "winter holiday").
2. Tulenjuhla (Kynttilänpäivä, Valojuhla) - "fiery holiday" ("day of candles", "festival of light"). It is marked as a Candlemas. (i.e. February 2)
3. Kevätpäiväntasaus (Kevätjuhla) - "spring equinox" (" spring holiday"). Associated with Pääsiäinen ("Easter")
4. Vappu (Hedelmällisyydenjuhla, Toukujuhla) - “first day of May” (“fertility festival”, “sowing festival”).
5. Kesäpäivänseisaus (Suvijuhla) - "summer solstice" (" summer holiday"). Now called

Lammas is a holiday of the first day of magical autumn. By Lammas, the rowan harvest is already red, the stars are brighter in a transparent night, much cooler at dusk. Before Lammas, the witches descend from the celestial sabbaths into the fields, dancing in ears of corn with the fairies.

Holiday dates

You can celebrate Lammas on the strong day closest to the dates of July 31, August 1 and 2 (for example, new moon, full moon, eclipse), you can - exactly on these dates. Many covens celebrate from sunset on August 1 until sunset on August 2. "Old Lammas" is called August 5, the day the Sun enters 15 degrees Leo. Lammas is celebrated in the afternoon, when the sun has had time to climb higher and ... begins to descend towards the horizon.

Lammas, Lughnasad: about the name

The festival of the beginning of the magical autumn has two names - Lammas - hlaf-maesse in Old English, loaf-mass - celebration, mass of the first bread and Lughnasad - Lughnasadh. In the second version, “g” and “d” are not pronounced, so many Russian-speaking witches prefer transcription to transliteration and call the Lunas holiday (‘lu: nəsə although, it happens, the British also put stress on the second syllable: Lu-NA-sa). Decline as a feminine noun, however, the name is not worth it. There are two female coven names: Lita and Ostara. Moreover, many people prefer to call Lita Midsummer or Midsummer, then in general there is only one “she” - Ostara. The reason is that Ostara is the name of a goddess. The rest of the sabbats are a sabbath, a holiday, "he" is masculine. It is precisely to avoid confusion with the use that many prefer the name “Lammas”, although, strictly speaking, Lammas is a more rural holiday of the first harvest close to the annual cycle, while Lughnasad is the mystical aspect of the same holiday.

Feel Lammas

To catch the feeling of Lammas, you can go out into the field at three o'clock in the afternoon and listen to the voice and ringing of the field. The song of Lammas is a rumble, a wave between earth and sky. On Mabon the song will go ringing in the scarlet forests, on Samhain - under the very ground. The wave of Lammas can be felt literally with your hands, opening them like wings over ears of corn in the field.

Lammas can also be felt closer to dusk, inside the haze in the lowlands. The fog is getting colder, other fairies are already wandering in the fog: the young and playful go to the hills, but there are more of those who woke up. It is not yet possible to communicate with all of them: Lammas is only the beginning of autumn, and autumn fairies often appear out of the fog as if by accident, are silent and dissolve again in it - before Mabon.

Rains become cold on Lammas: even in the very heat, a soaked traveler can shudder, and as if the warm wind does not dry and warm, it penetrates to the bones. So far, this is still only at the level of fleeting sensations, but August colds can be very insidious.

To understand Lammas, you need to know that this is a very earthly, divine and lofty holiday, but earthy and close to all the routine aspects of being. The Wild Hunt swept over the world on the night of Beltane, and on the night of Lammas-Lugnasad, it again rejoices with the ringing of inhuman masters of forged horseshoes on the way to the Underworld. If you like, then it's time, the incomparable open day in the divine forges happens just on Lughnasad.

Lughnasad - Lug's run or Lug's games - funerary games in honor of the adoptive mother of the god Tailte . Lug is the shining beautiful god of the Celts, to whom all skills and arts are subject (compare with another solar deity, Apollo, better known to us). The first craft fairs of the year (which Lug patronizes) and the first wave autumn weddings usually arranged in late July - early August. Previously, marriages were made on Lughnasad for a year and a day (sometimes they tried to time such unions to coincide with Beltane).

Lug is not only the patron of blacksmiths and sorcerers - he is the ruler of poetry and the patron of bards. Therefore, cultural festivals, performances and competitions are also good to arrange on these dates.
Entrance exams to Moscow universities before the introduction of a single exam, by the way, also usually began on August 1 (except for the alma mater, there is fuss for the glory of Lug and now starts a month earlier).

Witchcraft on Lammas

Lughnasad - professional holiday all poets, blacksmiths, sorcerers, in a word, all those who create with magic, heart and skillful hands, therefore it is great to consecrate your tools on Lughnasad - be it knives, pens, musical instruments - and even keyboards. If you are about to start new book Shadows, then Lughnasad is a good time to find it, acquire it and consecrate it on the altar. Just remember that it is not in vain that this is a feast-feast, and it is not in vain that Lammas is the Sabbat of the Great Sacrifice, so if you want your tambourines to become fast horses, and eternal lines flow from under your fingers, then your own donations: it is not for nothing that any knife, any tool is customarily consecrated with the blood of the one to whom it will belong.

Lughnasad is not in vain a Sabbath of memorial celebrations - this is the time to part with what prevented us from standing firmly on the ground. The time of dreams and self-deception is over: it's time to shake things up, throw nonsense and illusions out of your head. Anyway, it has already become obvious - precisely for this Sabbath - their futility. A paradox: but what was quite capable of flying and soaring in the skies of Lyta is too burdensome for the labors of Lammas. And since this is one of the four Great Bonfire Festivals (Beltane-Lammas-Samain-Imbolk) - it's time to get rid of what hinders the movement forward. Lammas is a Sabbath unique in its kind, because it can be considered as the Sabbath of completing and summing up the first results of one’s labors, the time when the investment pays off and achievements become clear, and the Sabbath is the beginning of new things. The peculiarity is that everything that ends is just thoughts, hopes and aspirations - because their result comes into the real world, finally manifests itself in tangible and tangible “fruits and sheaves”. And everything that can and should be started on Lammas is just actions, not plans.

Altars of Lammas

The altar colors of Lammas are already autumnal. In fact, most of the flowers can be used on any of the Wheel holidays, because the altar decoration should echo the natural processes both above and below, and great amount flowers don't go out of the world for a year. Yes, blue and blue colors can always be with us - like the sky. But their shades will be different. The sky of Lammas is much darker than the sky of Lita, and the covers of altars, flowers, candles on Lammas are no longer bright, gently predawn of blue color, not bright cornflower blue, but a much more saturated, dark and dense color of the sky of August nights. Green also becomes deeper, darker, duller. But a lot of yellow appears - especially gold, honey, bright orange appears.

Lammas bread

Lammas is a holiday of the first bread, the first loaf, the first slice of it is festive, in many covens it is dedicated to the god of fertility and abundance.

Ritual harvesting, threshing, baking the first bread is a symbolic death of the ear. Tammuz, Adonis, Osiris are solar deities, and Lammas is a coven dedicated to their sacrifice. The ears of corn, the scythes of the solar god will be compressed: he dies, sacrificed in the name of the life of people. The first bread of Lammas is also the communion with the body of the solar god, who gives strength to all living things.

In Ireland, before Lammas, it was not customary to start harvesting: harvested early, eaten early, and, therefore, there might not be enough bread for the spring. In addition, the harvest before Lammas would mean that the owner was no longer able to correctly calculate the consumption of grain, and his storerooms were empty, which dropped him in the eyes of others and said that the gods did not favor him.

Therefore, a good owner was in no hurry to reap. In the evening of the day before Lammas, the owner cut the first sheaf, threshed it, and from the grain of the new crop, the hostess baked the very first ritual bread at night.

If you are not going to devote it entirely to the gods and leave it on the altar, then it will need to be divided. It is important to make it not too small - because part will certainly need to be sacrificed as a pledge of this, the current year of the harvest, part - to be left to the Little Folk - in the fields and in houses, part - to be divided among all members of the coven or family, and part - to be removed in parchment and a special, usually wooden, box, either until the next Imbolc or the next Lammas (depending on how it is customary in your coven).

It is generally accepted that Lammas is the best time for the first attempts to make dough and bake bread on your own, so ask for the protection of the all-skillful Lug and go for it - then your first bread will be the best of the offerings to the gods.

The loaf of bread itself is decorated with an image of an ear or the Wheel of the Year with a rim of an ear. The well-known bread "spit-challah" is also a stylization of the image of an ear. If desired, the bread is given the shape of a figure of a deity - and then, when kneading the dough, they call one of the names of the god - Lug, Osiris, Adonis. In some traditions, on the contrary, the name is not proclaimed, but a figurine of “Bread”, “Bread Man”, “Soul of Bread” is sculpted. Sometimes there can be two figurines: “Bride-in-law” or “Mother” are baked for the Owner of the Bread, and the figurines can first be molded separately, and then, during baking, bake-converge into one ritual bread.

There is also a wonderful form of ritual bread: bagels. Again: you can bake one on the altar, or you can bake a whole basket for all your loved ones. You can also bake honey gingerbread, and from modern and versatile treats, corn is suitable - on the cob or in the form of popcorn.

However, more often the Goddess in Lammas is depicted by a doll woven from ears of corn. This is the personification of the Goddess, Mother of the Harvest. The ideal union of the symbolic God and Goddess is a ritually decorated basket with the symbols of the Goddess (flowers, ribbons, braids) filled with the first loaves of Lammas bread, pies, bagels, rolls.

Lammas Celebration

On Lammas, it is especially good to arrange bonfires with barbecues and barbecues for the company of your beloved friends.

The very format of such holidays is very suitable for the mood: at first everyone gets together, work, prepare, someone marinates meat, someone bakes, someone picks fruit for dessert, someone decorates altars, someone keeps cleanliness - and then they all rest together by the fire, offering praise to the gods.

For offerings and libations at Lammas, ales, ciders, and berry beers are best preferred.

Lammas is a family coven, like Imbolc's "mirror" one, it is often spent among the women of a family or coven in household chores. In particular, the works of Lammas are, for example, preparations for the winter, pickling vegetables, canning and, of course, jam, compotes, juices and homemade wine: after all, they are best made from the remains of the late, most fragrant berries.

But whatever you do, whatever occupation you choose on Lammas for yourself and your coven, it will become sacred, because in these first days of suffering, the gods favor all who work - and work in joy.
Joy to you, friends, bright Lammas!

© soit, July-August 2015

Traditions of the so-called. witch holidays, eight holidays dedicated to God and Goddess and symbolizing different periods of their lives.

The witch calendar contains 13 full moon holidays or esbats and 8 Days of Power or sabbats (sabbaths). All these holidays represent the cycle of birth and death. On full moon days, sacred energy is released, which is associated with the Moon and the Great Goddess. The ritual of the lunar festival is performed in honor of the creative life force that pervades the universe. Full moon days give magicians a special opportunity to connect with the spirit.

The dates of the Days of Power mark key moments in the movement of the sun in the annual cycle; it is believed that they bring good luck and prosperity in that part of the year, which corresponds to this holiday.

The Days of Power were celebrated more than 4000 years ago, but as seasonal holidays, only two of them were originally celebrated - Beltane and Samhain, dividing the year into two halves. During these days, people kindled bonfires on the tops of the hills, bonfires flared up one after another, until all the surroundings were lit with hundreds of bright lights. For Europeans, this ceremony began at sunset on the day before the holiday and ended three days later at sunset. These "fire holidays" were associated with sowing plants, harvesting and successful hunting. Subsequently, on the territory of modern Europe, two additional holidays were added to the two original ones: Imbolc and Lammas. The pagan Germans added to it the days of the equinox and solstice. This is how the tradition of the eight sacred days of the year was formed, which later began to be used by Wiccans:

Yule is celebrated on December 21st. This is the time of great darkness and short day per year, so on this day bonfires are lit, inviting the sunlight to return. Most often, the ceremony begins before sunset, and then the sunrise is observed. This day celebrates the birth of God, who returns to fill the hearts of people with warmth and abundance. According to ancient custom, candles and lights are used to lure him out of his mother's womb, so it is customary to leave all the lights on in the house, or at least the oil lamp on the altar. In one legend associated with this holiday. King Oak fights King Holly and defeats him. Sometimes in the image of the Holly King they see the features of Santa Claus, who is also dressed in red and wears a holly in his hat and rides a team drawn by eight deer (symbols of the horned god).

On Yule, according to tradition, they put a magical tree of desires, on the branches of which all your wishes hang on New Year. Spruce symbolizes the Goddess, since this tree does not shed its needles and does not die in winter. Sorcerers sometimes use this fir tree in the ritual of creating a protective barrier: it is tapped on the ground around the outer circumference of the magic circle, or it is saved for use as a may pole during Beltane celebrations.

Imbolc is celebrated on February 2nd. The first day of spring in the Wiccan calendar. This day marks the first appearance of the Goddess after the birth of God, the lengthening day awakens her. God is young, he is almost a boy, but his power is growing, the days are getting longer. The warm, fertile Earth (the symbol of the Goddess) gives life to seeds that germinate and sprout. This is a holiday of purification after winter through the revival of the power of the Sun, a holiday of light and fertility, in Europe it is sometimes celebrated in the light of torches and bonfires. Fire here symbolizes enlightenment and inspiration, as well as light and warmth.

Imbolc is also known as the Feast of Torches, Oimelk, Luperkalia, the Feast of Pan, the Snowdrop Festival, the Feast of the Waking Light, Brigid's Day, and others. a bowl of melted snow to hasten the arrival of spring.

Ostara is celebrated on March 21st. Sometimes this day is called "Lady's Day", this holiday symbolizes the return of the earth's ability to give birth. Also known as Spring, the Rite of Spring, and Ostara's Day, this is the first day of true spring. Energies in nature are gradually changing: its slow and measured course in winter is replaced by a fast, seething stream, characteristic of spring. The goddess gives fertility to the earth, wakes her up from sleep, God becomes stronger, matures, he walks through the green fields and gives abundance to nature. On Ostara day and night are equal, light conquers darkness. The Goddess and God encourage all beings on earth to be fruitful and multiply. This is a time of beginnings and action.

In some traditions, one week before the spring equinox, one should make a list of all grievances and injustices caused to one's friends and loved ones, and then restore harmony in human relations with the help of sincere apologies and the return of old debts. On the night of the holiday, the list is burned, which serves as a symbolic confirmation of spiritual purification. In the narrow family circle it is customary to dye eggs.

Beltane is celebrated on April 30th. This holiday is also called the "Fire of the God Belen", it is the opposite of Samhain. If Samhain reveals the interaction of the aspects of life and death, then Beltane reveals the triumph and glory of earthly existence. This is a festival of bonfires that attract heavenly blessings. After Yule, the spruce trunk was kept until Beltane, where it already acted as a May pole.

Long white and red ribbons are tied to the top of the pole, which the dancers take and braid around the pole to the sound of fun music, rattles and drums. The red ribbons are twisted clockwise, and the white ones are twisted counterclockwise. In this way, the participants in the celebration weaved stability and prosperity into their personal lives in the coming summer months. When it remained to weave the last piece of the ribbon, the dancers began to move in the opposite direction, thus strengthening the wish for growth and prosperity.

Romantic feelings and courtship play an important role in the celebration of Beltane, as these days people become the embodiment of higher love between God and Goddess. Beltane is not as serious and solemn as Samhain; it is famous for its fun, songs and dances.

In Celtic mythology, the Beltane festival opened summer period, a bright season and was associated with the lighting of a sacrificial fire and the corresponding offerings to the great God Belen. In addition, the Celts had a custom to kindle two fires in honor of Belen, between which sick cattle were led in order to heal them and keep them for the next year. According to Irish tradition, the conquest of Ireland fell on this holiday. In Beltane, the tribes of the Goddess Danu arrived on the island, then this holiday was celebrated in the center of Ireland, in Meade, in the residence of the High King.

Litu (summer solstice) is celebrated on June 21st. On this day, the power of nature reaches its highest point. The earth is filled with the fertility of the Goddess and God. On this day, the masculine aspect of the deity reaches the height of its power, and God is honored in his power and glory. Numerous bonfires are lit: young men and women jump over them, demonstrating their strength and dexterity. King Oak and King Holly, who fought on Yule Eve, return for another battle. This time the winner is the Holly King, who reigns again until Yule. This season, the so-called. solar amulets to protect your family. All healing and sacred plants on the eve of the summer solstice have the greatest power. On this day, the guardian spirits of the hearth and domestic animals receive special honors.

Lammas is celebrated on August 1st. This festival is held mainly in honor of Lug, the Celtic solar deity. Sometimes it is called the "wedding festival" or "the festival of the first harvest", at this time the plants begin to dry, the fruits and seeds fall off for people and the future harvest. Mystically, the same thing happens with God, losing his power, he, like the Sun, goes further and further, the days become shorter. The goddess is sad, knowing that God will die, and rejoices, knowing that then he will come to life and sit opposite her, like her child. Summer has passed, but the food reminds us of its warmth and generosity, each meal is an act of unity with nature.

On this day, the fruits of the earth or seafood are placed on the altar and a large refectory table is placed next to the place for the ritual. Unlike many other covens, Lammas is usually celebrated all day long. The Gaelic name for this holiday is Lughnasad.

Mabon is celebrated on September 21st. This is the day of the autumnal equinox, the end of the harvest that began on Lammas. Again, day and night became equal, which means that God is ready to leave his physical body and go on a great journey into the unknown, to his conception and a new rebirth. Nature fades, generously gives everything it has, prepares for winter. The goddess slumbers under the last rays of the Sun, and the fire is lit in her womb, she feels the presence of God.

The name of the holiday comes from the Welsh deity who symbolized male fertility in the cycle of myths about King Arthur. Mabon has two aspects: the liberation from everything old and obsolete and the retribution of honors to the deceased female family members. The Celts believed that since God emerges from the womb of the Goddess, the magical island of Tir-Nan-Og (Land of Eternal Summer) is inhabited only by women.

On Mabon, according to tradition, staves and runes are carved from elm wood, this custom came from the Druids. The autumnal equinox is the second harvest festival, on this day people usually put on the altar autumn leaves, ripe fruits, pumpkins, dry ears, etc.

Samhain is celebrated on October 31 - November 1. It's the Celtic New Year and main holiday from which all others are counted. Samhain is the time to sum up, peering into the past years, on this night there is a mixture of physical and spiritual realities. According to legend, on the night of Samhei, the hills of magical people open up, meeting with which gives great opportunities for good or evil. At this time, the cover that separates the world of the dead and the living becomes very thin; By tradition, we remember loved ones who have left us. In this sense, Samhain symbolizes the triumph of everlasting life.

Among the Celts, Samhain was the most important holiday of the year, which began with memories of the summer and seeing off the summer, marking the beginning of the winter period. On Samhain they say goodbye to God, remembering that he does not plunge into eternal darkness, but is ready for a new birth as the Goddess, which will happen on Yule. Samhain is also known as Death Festival, Apple Day, Halloween. In some areas, this is the time when cattle are slaughtered and supplies are prepared for deep winter. Often food or drink is sacrificed on this day as a symbol of the fact that God also sacrifices himself to ensure our existence.

wheel of the year

Our ancestors drew attention to the connection of man with the change of seasons on Earth, celebrating days that can be called turning points. Remains of many folk customs indicate the importance given to the relationship of man with nature, the course and change in the cycles of the seasons and the Sun. In Wicca, these traditions are restored and woven into the eight holidays of the Wiccan year, which are called Sabbats.

Of the eight holidays that witches celebrate, four are directly related to astronomical events: the winter and summer solstices and the spring and summer equinoxes. The dates of the eight Sabbats in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres are reversed (as shown in the two adjacent columns) due to the fact that when it is winter in one hemisphere it is summer in the other, and vice versa.

SUNNY HOLIDAYS

The four solar festivals in the Wiccan tradition each have their own names. The winter solstice is called Yule (Yu1e - this name comes from the Scandinavian word Yu1, meaning "wheel"). We believe that our Nordic ancestors marked this time as a period of halt, completion, a point on the revolving Wheel of the year that completes the cycle.

The summer solstice is called Lita, and the origin of the word is less obvious. Oddly enough, it also means "wheel", although it symbolizes other events (see pp. 68-69). The Spring Equinox, sometimes referred to as the "Feast of Trees", is best known among Wiccans as Ostara. This holiday is named after the Teutonic goddess of fertility (the Anglo-Saxons called her Eostre) and celebrates the resumption of growth and the new birth of the Earth. The autumnal equinox is called Modron, which means "mother." Modron is the Universal Mother, the aspect of the Goddess responsible for fertility and growth, which corresponds to the season of harvest and harvest.

If we imagine the year as a wheel, with Yule in the north and Lita in the south (in the Southern Hemisphere - on the contrary), the other two solar holidays will be strictly in the East and West. Between them are four Sabbats, which are called the Celtic festivals of fire. Although they are dated to approximate calendar dates, they are more mobile, and many witches prefer to celebrate them on the first full moon (or other lunar phase) after the appearance of certain plants.

CELTIC FIRE FESTIVALS

The first of them, if you move along the wheel from east to west, starting from the winter solstice, is Imbolk, whose name comes from ewe`s milk - “sheep's milk”. Traditionally, it is celebrated on the next full moon after the first thawed patches appear. It is strongly associated with the Celtic goddess of fire Brid (also called Brigid) and therefore is often called the Brid Holiday.

Imbolc celebrates the awakening of nature, the first signs of spring, the first thawed patches, the birth of lambs. We move further along the wheel: between Ostara and Lita stands Beltane, which means “bright fire”. Belle Tyne is celebrated when the hawthorn blossoms, or on the first full moon thereafter. Beltane is a holiday greeting to the Earth and its fertility in all manifestations: in plants, birds and animals, and is associated with the Green Man, spirit or god of nature.

Between Lita and Modron, Lughnasad, or Lammas, is celebrated on the day the first sheaf is cut, or on the first full moon thereafter. Lughnasad is a festival of harvest and harvest, a day of blessings and honoring the spirits that helped the grains ripen. Finally, between Modron and Yule, Samhain is celebrated, which means "the first frosts." As the name implies, this holiday is sometimes celebrated when the first frosts come, or on the first full moon after them (see dates for both hemispheres in the table on page 50). This is the Feast of the Ancestors, the Day of the Dead, and also the New Year of the ancient Celts, the day when the warm time is left behind, and darkness sets in, leading to Yule.

There is a tradition in the ancient fire festivals that they begin at sunset of the previous day and end at sunset of the next day. This means that if you celebrate Beltane on May 1st, then the holiday begins at sunset on April 30th and ends at sunset on May 1st.

So here are the eight Wiccan Sabbats, the spokes of the Wheel of the Year. Exploring Traditions and Meanings different holidays help you better understand pagan beliefs. If you yourself experience how witches work with the changes of Gaia, it will help you to tune in to the rhythms of the spirit of nature and better understand the changes that occur in your life.

As you delve into the study of the holidays, you will realize that each Sabbat is a moment of rest on the wheel of the year, which is incessantly turning. Lita marks the longest day of the year, but says that after that the days will begin to decrease. The spring equinox is a perfect balance of day and night, but after it comes a period when there is more light. This is the case with all solar festivals and, on a more subtle level, with all fire festivals. Each marks a change in the cycle of the seasons, and each bears the seed of its own doom. You will discover for yourself the deep spiritual lessons that the Sabbat provides as you begin to follow the cycle.

Samhain - Feast of the Dead

Celebrated on the last day of October in the northern hemisphere and V first day of May in southern. Samhain is located in the middle between Modron and Yule. It is sometimes seen as the start of winter, but it is also the day of the dead when we remember and honor our ancestors. This is a magical time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinned, and Wiccans on this day celebrate death as a part of life, which gives a positive meaning to the idea of ​​​​falling into darkness.

The Celts considered Samhain the main turning point of the year, an opportunity to start over. In the eighth century, the venerable monk Bede noted that November was popularly called the "bloody month", and associated this with the season of slaughtering animals, preparing supplies for the winter. Summer has already burned at the stake, we have made peace with the dead and prepared for winter - our ancestors could consider this day as a starting point, the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Therefore, modern pagans call this holiday the Celtic New Year. Although samain literally means "first frost" and is the first of winter holidays, it also marks the readiness for change.

WORSHIP OF THE OLD WOMAN GODDESS

This period is associated with ghosts, spirits and the dead roaming the earth. This is the time of the Crone, one of the three aspects of the Goddess who guides us through life, sympathizes with us and sees us from life to death.

Today, witches commemorate this day by performing a ritual in which the dead are named, honored, remembered and spoken to. Starting with those who died in Last year, we remember all our family and friends, and then all together - all our ancestors. Then, forgetting grief, we rejoice and remember the newborns that appeared this year, new friends and the opportunities that stood out to us.

Samhain serves as a reminder that there is death in life, but there is also the mystery of rebirth and the forward movement of the cycle of life.

Yule - winter solstice

Yule marks the shortest day of the year, followed by the heaviest days of winter. The sixteenth-century poet John Donne referred to this time as "midnight of the year," when "the blood of the whole world freezes." However, Yule carries with it a paradox: the winter solstice both celebrates the yearly lack of sunlight and welcomes its return. Therefore, Yule is also called the "return of the Sun."

Yule is the time when the Goddess gives birth to the Star Child, and our European ancestors called this night "the night of motherhood." For witches who worship God and Goddess, the Star Child is the Sun God, who by the time of Ostara will grow into a young man and, together with the young, full of fertility Goddess, will conceive a new Star Child, who in turn will be born on the next Yule.

The rebirth of the sun

No matter how we imagine what is happening at Yule, the symbolism of the rebirth of the Sun is reflected in our holidays. In the darkest time, when the Earth looks bare and empty, we bring evergreens into the house - holly for protection, ivy for loyalty to promises, mistletoe for fertility. In the first days of winter, they remind us that the Earth will turn green again. We feast to lighten our hearts and share the bonds of friendship with others, to warm ourselves from the inside when everything seems colorless and cold. How important human society is to us at Yule is evident when you look at how many people travel to sacred sites to watch sunset and sunrise with others. Members of my group organize a ceilidh—a gathering of folk music and dance—for our community to celebrate Yule.

Although the surface of the Earth is devoid of luxuriant greenery in this dark time, nevertheless, under the cover of snow, the seeds sleep, preparing to germinate. Witches take a cue from them and use the dark season to dive into the depths of the mind and spirit, meditate and draw on new ideas that will develop further. In the rituals of Yule, we are looking for the invisible Sun: the inner spark of life, which, once again gaining energy, will support our spirit and physical strength and help us survive the winter. The candles we light symbolize our desire to revive the inner Sun as well. “As in heaven, so on earth,” say the Wise.

Imbolc - Feast of Breed

In Imbolc times, the days are noticeably longer, and there are signs that winter is loosening its grip. The first sprouts make their way out of the ground on thawed patches, snowdrops adorn gardens and forests. Imbolc marks the birth of the first lambs and the time when the ewes begin to give milk; therefore this holiday is associated with milking. In one old song, a milkmaid soothed a cow she was milking by telling her that "Saint Brigid herself" was milking "the white clouds in the sky."

The "Saint Brigid" mentioned in the song is the Christian version of the Irish goddess of fire Breed, whose huge popularity among the people could not be destroyed by Christianity. Even among the first snowdrops of modern pagans, Breed is a much loved and revered goddess, and Imbolc is considered her feast. Brid acts as a fierce protector of women, children and newborn animals, which is reflected in Christian mythology, where Saint Brigid helped in the birth of Mary. In Wicca, she also helps spring to be born, this is a deity who warms the Earth with her fiery breath in order to awaken it. Her role extends to helping new beginnings in different areas of our lives.

SECRET RITUALS

Imbolc is more women's holiday; according to tradition, in the first part of the celebration, women conduct their own ceremonies, which are not talked about outside the circle or in the presence of men. Of course, men also have their own mysteries, which are held while they are waiting for an invitation to the circle as guests of honor. They bring gifts to Brid, which are placed at the foot of a statue of the goddess, dressed and adorned with women's hands and placed in a basket. During ceremonies, celebrants may approach her and whisper their secrets and secret desires.

Brid is the goddess of healing, the inspirer of poets and the patroness of blacksmiths and other people who work with metal. She is a flame in the hearts of poets and those who make every effort to achieve their goals, the goddess of inspiration and action, the goddess of transformation. At Imbolc, a time of renewal, we celebrate the changes around and within us and renew our commitment to making the world a better place. We honor the spark within us and amplify our healing energy.

Ostara - spring equinox

Ostara celebrates the vernal equinox, the time of balance between daylight and darkness, the turning point after which the day becomes longer than the night. In the Northern Hemisphere, it falls during Christian Lent. It is also a celebration of growth, and its name comes from the name of the Germanic goddess, whose symbol was the hare. The expression "crazy as a March hare" appeared as a result of observing the behavior of these animals during the mating season at this particular time of the year. Hares are animals of enviable fertility, and many moon goddesses associated with the female reproductive cycles have a hare among their symbols and totems, meaning sexuality and fertility.

Nowadays easter bunny is an emasculated heir to the early pagan fertility symbol, but, nevertheless, witches treat it with reverence, recognizing in it the modern remnants of an ancient tradition.

SYMBOL OF FERTILITY AND RENEWAL

Eggs have been associated with this season for thousands of years. This ancient, pre-Christian symbol of fertility, renewal and vitality inspires modern pagans to celebrate Ostara by painting eggs. Sometimes empty painted eggs are hung on branches located in the center of a sacred place. These are branches that have broken during the winter or during the spring winds; never cut a branch from a living tree. Since eggs symbolize life's potential, we magically fill them with our desires and hopes that we want to fulfill this year.

Ostara - good time to visit nature and observe for yourself how the buds swell on the trees and how the nesting birds fuss. This is the time to look at daffodils - the flowers of this holiday - in their natural surroundings and understand why they are called "heralds of spring". This is also the perfect time to find balance in life; during the festival, we sometimes pass between two candles, black and white, and stop before we cross this threshold of summer to ask God or Goddess about how to restore balance in life, which will allow us to grow further.

Beltane - the time of the Green Man

Beltane celebrates the arrival of summer. This is the time when the Green Man, the companion of the Goddess and the ancient spirit of the Green Forest, is honored and glorified. He joins Marian, his May queen.

How everything rejoices, sings, rings!

The valley is in bloom, the zenith is on fire!

Each leaf trembles on a branch,

A merry whistle is not silent in the groves.

How this joy

fit in your chest! —

Look! and listen!

breathe! and Live!

"MAY SONG", I. GOETHE

Translation by A. Globa

This is the time of Gern - a giant with horns on his head, the protector of the Green Forest and a symbol of fertility, growth and change. When the stags shed their antlers after the mating fights in May, and the Goddess carries the Star Child, Gern declares his readiness to give up wandering and take a place beside her. On Beltane Eve, some witches go into the woods to "bring home" hawthorn at dawn. For our ancestors, this was a time of sexual freedom. It is not surprising that many pagan weddings and betrothals took place on this holiday.

CLOSE TO THE MAGIC WORLD

On the Wheel of the Year, Beltane stands opposite Samhain; just as the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead thins at Samhain, so at Beltane the worlds of mortals and faeries, supernatural beings, converge.

On May 1, the Celts led their cattle between two fires to protect them before sending them out to pasture; These bonfires were called bel-tine, which means "fortune bonfire." It is also likely that this holiday is named after a god or goddess named Bel/Belenos/Bellisama. The Celtic root bel means "bright" and hence this god or goddess was associated with the Sun.

Whatever the origin of this holiday, the sacred fire occupies an important place in Wiccan rituals. If they are celebrating outside, we light a small fire that those who wish can jump over to receive Beltane's blessing. Sometimes a broom is used instead, symbolizing the sacred union of the male (handle) and female (rods) principles and marking the threshold between spring and summer. By crossing it, we make promises that we will fulfill this year.

Lita - summer solstice

Although the best summer days yet to come, the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. This is a time to gain strength from the Sun before the day begins to decrease, as it will in the next six months. Like Yule, the festival of Lita contains a paradox: we celebrate the moment of the highest flowering of the forces of the Sun, which is also the beginning of their extinction. This reminds us of a truth that applies to both body and spirit: our holidays are fleeting moments of rest on the Wheel of Change, and in themselves they symbolize the constant change that is the essence of our existence.

The word "Lita" is thought to mean "wheel", although its origin is unclear. However, it may be related to a tradition first described 2,000 years ago of lighting a wheel and rolling it down a hill, supposedly symbolizing the fading of the powers of the Sun at its peak. There may also be an element of sympathetic magic in this ritual: symbolically, the Sun is rolled into the fields so that it warms them and makes the ears of corn growing there ripen faster. Of course, there is also a strong connection with the midsummer bonfires that are lit everywhere and the torches are carried over the hills.

Litha is usually celebrated outdoors, weather permitting, and most often the witches gather at ancient sacred sites such as megaliths, circles, and hills to observe the movement of the Sun together.

Many of us begin vigils on the evening of June 20 (December 20 in the Southern Hemisphere) and wait until the next morning. That is, we do not sleep at the very short night and entertain each other with stories and songs after the sun goes down below the horizon to the sound of our drums. At dawn we start beating the drums again, this time to wake up the Sun, coax it to rise early, climb high into the sky and shine bright and hot all the next day. The rest of the day is usually spent on the street, in rituals and a joint feast, we get enough sleep, making up for a sleepless night, and go home.

Lughnasad - the feast of the harvest

Lughnasad falls between the summer solstice, when the powers of the sun are at their peak, and the autumn equinox, when the time of night darkness and daylight are equal. It is a festival of harvest and harvest, and its second name, Lammas, is believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon word hlaef-mass, which means "lots of bread". The name "Lugnasad" comes from the name of the Irish god Lug, whom the pagans revered as the god of the Sun and celebrated on the day of harvest that the harvest had risen thanks to its hot rays.

For our ancient ancestors, the cycle of grain ripening also meant something more mystical and mysterious: the growth, fall and rebirth of grains reflected the cycles of growth, death and rebirth of a person. Figurines depicting an ear are found in ancient burial grounds, which indicates their spiritual and material significance. The spirit of the ear must be appeased and brought back to the fields, and later documented traditions speak of couples making love in the field after the harvest in order to restore fertility to the land and re-grow the ears. The mysterious but powerful spirit of the ear was lured and held captive with the help of pupae woven from ears that participated in the holidays - sometimes they are called “spirit traps”.

This is the time of John Barleycorn, an aspect of the god who plays the role of a caring father, who married a pregnant goddess in May, and now he is killed during the harvest to feed the people.

Once again, we are faced with the contradictions inherent in the holidays: a time of abundance and celebration is also a time of death and sacrifice. The festivals of Lammas still exist in some parts of England, reminiscent of the times when harvest time was met with wild celebrations.

For city dwellers accustomed to the fact that nutritious food is all year round, it is difficult to understand the importance of the harvest for those who have stocks harvested from last year may run out many weeks before the new harvest.

In Lammas, the time of gathering the blessed gifts of nature, we also remember the importance of even distribution. Therefore, some witches combine the pleasures of a feast and feast of plenty with an obligation to "repay" either money or charity, to ensure that the harvest is fair for all.

Modron - autumnal equinox

At the western point of the Wheel of the Year is Modron. Like Ostara, this is a day in which the dark and daylight hours are the same. However, unlike Ostara, which promises long days, the autumnal equinox warns of the onset of the dark season. Modron is the time of harvesting the fruits of Mother Earth.

For witches who worship God and Goddess, this is the time when the dying Sun God begins his journey across the western ocean to unite with the elder aspect of the Goddess in the land of the dead at Samhain. In Arthurian legend, witches see the echo of the dying god in the form of King Arthur, who sailed west to the Land of Eternal Summer, or Avalon, in the Celtic Otherworld, accompanied by three (sometimes nine) maidens, who symbolize the triune Goddess. His rebirth is the appearance of the Star Child at the winter solstice. The child will then rapidly become a youth, a hero and protector of the new cycle.

HIDDEN MYSTERY

The connection between Avalon - the "Isle of Apples" - and Modron is expressed in some modern day ceremonies celebrating Modron. During rituals, we cut apples to reveal the secret hidden in them - five-pointed star symbolizing all the elements together. We eat them and it reminds us that we witches are walking between two worlds: the world of conscious reality and the magical Otherworld. At this festival, we stand between the columns of light and darkness, ready to descend with the gods and goddesses from myths into the Other World, into the long night of the year. We eat these fruits and, like Inanna, Persephone, Freya and Ishtar, descend into the deep darkness of the next six months, full of creative powers. As a grain ripens in the darkness of the earth, so we grow, preparing for peace in the darkness, plunging into the depths of renewal and returning with treasures of creativity and spiritual knowledge.

If Yule is the midnight of the year, then Modron is its sunset, and at sunset we take what we can from the noon power of Lita's Sun and carry it into darkness. After Modron, we move to the new Samhain and with this we complete the journey along the sacred Wheel of the Year, closing the cycle.

Instead of 12 months, the pagan calendar, which is more commonly referred to as the "Wheel of the Year", is divided into quarters and quarters of the year. The first group consists of the solstices and equinoxes (which mark the beginning of the four seasons), while the latter consists of the days that mark the midpoint between each season.

It may sound like you have to adopt a whole new way of life in order to follow the pagan year, but seeing the Wheel of the Year makes the picture much clearer.

Yule

This holiday occurs on December 21 or 22 and celebrates as the winter solstice, the end of the year. We can notice this in our traditional calendar as well, lighting candles, planning a party with friends, and planning for the coming months and the new year. This is a celebration of summing up and planning for the next year. And yes, for those who celebrate Catholic Christmas, new year, you have much to thank for Yule - the tradition of bringing evergreen twigs (and whole trees) into your home at this time of the year, as a symbol of eternal life.

Imbolc

Imbolc falls on a day that was originally called Candlemas. Regardless of what you're watching (or whatever you call it), these early February holidays actually celebrate the same seasonal shift, which seems to herald revival and growth. By February 1st or 2nd, everyone is beginning to anticipate the arrival of spring - and in some parts of the world, there may already be signs of a change of season. In Imbolc, you can burn off the excess that hinders you and relieve the burden of a long winter.

Ostara

The spring equinox, as it is the Sabbath, is also known to symbolize the beginning of the rebirth in nature that accompanies the entire season. This is the perfect time of year to start thinking about the changes you can make to your love life. During the Ostara period, "new" is synonymous with "good". Ostara is your chance to enjoy the warm months and even plant seeds for the whole year, it can be the beginning of your projects or family affairs, everything that starts during this period of time is doomed to active growth.

Beltane

You may know this holiday by its more secular name, May 1, May night, its traditions of lighting bonfires and performing May dances - but at its core, Beltane is a celebration of divine femininity, when mother nature gives, saturates all her creatures with strength, this time is worth taking advantage of. to nourish what is important to you with energy. May 1 marks the middle between Ostara and Lita, and now until the summer solstice the weather (and people's thoughts) will only brighten. Embrace the sensual energy of this holiday, enjoy the warmth and bounty of nature.

Lita

By June 21, summer has officially begun - the crown of summer. In honor of long day catch as many rays as you can and spend the day in nature. Whether it's meditation or relaxing in the park, just take advantage of an extra day of power to recharge with solar currents, warming with the crazy energy of prosperity.

Lammas

Lammas, also referred to as Lughnasadh, is your final reminder that change is always on the horizon as autumn quickly approaches the autumnal equinox. Some do not like this holiday, which falls on August 1, as it hints at the end of summer. But seeing it as a chance to spend the last days of summer enjoying its gifts and harvest, Lammas is far from gloomy. In addition, this is the time when we all should start planning for autumn and winter, use the energy of abundance, thank the Earth for the generous gifts that she has brought us.

Mabon

September 21 starts in the fall and symbolically symbolizes "withering". As the leaves begin to fall, think about what has ended in your own life. The autumn equinox is the time to harvest the fruits, remember those “seeds” that you planted in the spring, analyze how everything went, this is an opportunity to be with yourself, think about what successes you have achieved since last fall, and pay tribute to this progress.

Samhain

Sometimes referred to as Halloween, Samhain is actually the older, more mature brother of Halloween, which also falls on October 31st. It seems that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest on this day, so it is completely understandable why your mood during this period will not be the most rosy. Take advantage of these vibrations and spend Samhain, thinking about the deceased loved ones, remembering the dead, lighting candles for them. At this time, the Earth falls asleep, so use it to cleanse the body and soul.

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